The First
by Harowin
Summary: What if something happened in the magical world that had never happened before? Something that could change the balance of power between two enemies since the time of the First Fathers? In this story, one elf will change the magical kingdom forever.
1. Prologue

Prologue

He paced back and forth in front of the tent flap, churning the ground under his deerskin boots. Clasping his hands behind his back, he tried in vain to calm down. Attempting to distract himself from the activity inside the tent, he slowly looked at his surroundings, taking in every detail. He stood in a little glen full of brilliant colors, the most common of which was the emerald green vegetation. Everywhere little burst of reds, purples, blues, and oranges appeared in the form of flowers. Blossoms grew in the tall fruit trees and moss covered every rock and stone. Staring directly in front of him, he could see a well-used dirt path leading deep into the forest surrounding the glen. Off to the right of the trail lay a little creek bubbling and sparkling in the midnight glow of the full moon. The creek widened into a deep pool, creating a perfect spot for bathing. Walking slowly towards the pool, he stared into the mirror-like surface and saw his flawless reflection. The elf was inhumanly beautiful, standing straight and regal, with an air of power about him. His skin was as white as the white bark of the many trees around him, and his hair and eyes were as deep and black as the endless night sky above. And if anyone were to look closely at him, they would see, through the curtain of his wavy, sable hair, two pointed ears.

Sensing a presence standing only a few feet away, he turned his gaze away from the enchanting water and stared at the Captain of the Guard, his lieutenant, Bar.

"It should be soon, Bar. Have you heard anything yet?" he asked the captain, trying to keep his voice from rising.

"Nothing, sir. Rose sounds like she's in pain, though. Shrub is helping as best she can, but so far, nothing has happened."

"The moon is full, Bar, and its midnight. Why hasn't it happened yet?" He stood in thought for a moment then shook his head and started toward the tent. "Maybe Shrub won't be able to handle this, after all. My magic is stronger than hers. I'll see what I can do."

The two walked toward the tent at a generous pace. But before they could reach the tent, they heard a stinging cry, followed by a continuous wailing and an astonished gasp. The two men looked at each other, many emotions playing on their faces, and then raced to the tent, flinging the flap aside, and entering. Bar's face showed joy. The other man's heart flew into his throat, until he looked down at Rose, his wife, white faced and stone cold dead on the pallet. Just as fast as his heart had risen, it fell.

"What happened?" he whispered in anguish.

"I-I don't know! Everything was going just fine, but then…" she trailed off, looking at the bundle crying in her arms. She raised her face to the man, tears streaming down her tan, smooth skin. Shrub slowly rose from her place by the pallet and came towards the lost elf. "There was nothing I could do, Nir. It happened so s-suddenly," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry." She slowly handed the crying infant to the man, and then rushed out of the tent in tears. Bar placed his hand on the elf lord's shoulder, squeezing it gently, and then backed out of the tent after Shrub.

The elf slowly sank to his knees beside his dead wife, shaking with grief. "Rose…..Rose….Rose!" he moaned pitifully. "Please…..not you." This should have been a simple birth! he thought. The magic was simple enough. Why had this happened? Why? "No one ever had… such a wife. You are the most beautiful creature… I ever laid… my eyes on," He spoke in broken sentences like this to his motionless wife for some time before he recalled the reason for her death. He quietly sobbed over the wriggling cloth he held in his hands. "You will live on in your son. You will make him strong and brave like I could never be." He stared at his lover's face for a moment longer, torn, and then reluctantly turned his attention to his Heir.

The elf lord took the corner of the cloth and slowly unraveled the blanket from the child's face. Before the shock set in, he noticed faint wisps of curly black hair and white skin, just like his. But as he gazed down at his baby, the realization finally kicked in, which was enough to knock him back, almost dropping the bundle. In his hands, the elf King held not his son, but his _daughter_.


	2. Chapter 1

**AN:** Hi there. So I'm kind of a lazy writer and lost interest in this story awhile ago. But then I got interested in it again so I wrote a little bit. I'm just throwing it out there to see what you think. So...let me know. Yeah.

Chapter 1

Ai walked down a dirt path in the forest, heading toward the elf camp. Being an elf, she loved to take in the nature all around her. Everything was jade green with dark emerald patches. The trees were clustered together, creating shadows that would scare any human being, but with her elf eyesight Ai feared nothing at night. Tipping her head back as she walked, she gazed up at the night sky. The elf girl treasured the stars winking down at her through the breaks in the trees, and the night air felt especially refreshing after the meeting she had just had in the secluded glen behind her.

Entering the southern entrance of the camp, Ai looked about for her father. She had a very important message to deliver to him this day. Throughout the camp, tents of deer hide were set up under a shady area hidden by trees, put this way so that the humans would take no notice of them. Families were strolling around, holding hands, laughing, dancing, and singing. Many elves were eating the evening meal. Ai took a moment to think, then decided to weave her way through the rows of tents hidden under the trees and peek into her family's tent before going off into the woods in search of her father. As she passed a group of young elfin men, all handsome with heart-shattering features, she heard one of them whistle. She turned slowly around, facing the elves dead on.

"I could have sworn I heard a whistle. Was I imagining it or was it the wind playing tricks on me?" She looked at the leader of the group, Rylaic, for the answer.

"The wind? Oh, if only I could be the wind, whispering little things into your divine ear, tossing your silky, sable hair about all day," he teased.

Ai shook her head in disgust but couldn't help noticing the pull at the corners of her lips as she walked away. All elves were born beautiful, but it is true that of all the elves, not one had ever been more beautiful than Ai. With her long, midnight black hair and eyes, long limbs, and paper white skin, she stood out in the little camp.

Ducking her head inside her tent, she saw a young elf with blond hair and sea green eyes rolling bed pallets up and stacking them against the tent wall. Unlike Ai, this elf's skin was a deep tan.

"Mother," she said to the elf.

The elf glanced up and upon seeing Ai's face, smiled warmly. "Ai. Where have you been? You were gone before I ever woke up."

Ai smiled mischievously, "I'll tell you all about it later, Mother. But first I need to speak with father."

"The Captain of the Guard has other things to do besides wait on his daughter's every whim, Ai," her mother told her sternly.

"Yes, I understand that," the girl said patiently. This wasn't the first time her mother, Shrub, had brought up the fact that her father, Bar, held such a noble position in the King's Camp.

"Besides, you really shouldn't bother him right now. He's changing the border guards today."

"Why's he doing that?" the girl asked in confusion. The border guards weren't all that necessary, since the elf King's Border Spell kept all dangers out of the camp.

Shrub hesitated, "A goblin tried to break through the Border Spell last night."

Ai's white face, already as white as snow, took on a sickly pale sheen as she thought of the horrible creatures that lurked just outside of the Great Forest's magically protected limits. Even Ai had to admit that, though she was an elf and could see in the gloomy shadows, the land outside the shield seemed to deceive her eyes. She could never be sure of anything she saw while staring into its dense depths.

This place was known as the Dark Forest, and the creatures that inhabited it were an elf women's worst nightmare. Goblins. They lurked in the shadows outside the elf boundaries, waiting and watching for any unwitting elf women wandering around. They snatch the poor elf up and drag her back with them to their caves to become an elf bride to the ghastly creatures, locked away forever from the moon and the stars. Ai even heard horror stories about the goblins marrying girls before their marriage moon.

To the elves, Ai had only become a women a few nights ago, at the last full moon. It should have been her marriage moon, but she was an oddity, her parents having never arranged her to marry any elf man. As a child she was made fun of, but now she was open game in the eyes of some of the elf men without a fiancée. But that also made her open game to the goblins. Once married, she would be safe, but until then…

Coming back to herself, Ai asked cautiously, "And did this goblin…succeed?"

Shrub shook herself a bit and then smiled up at her daughter, "It matters not, dear. Your father and the King are handling it. Don't worry."

Ai was about to protest, but at the mention of the King she remember her reason for coming to her family's tent in the first place, "Mother, I must find father! The elf King has requested his presence!"

"Oh? And how did you come by a message like this, Ai?"

Again that mischievous smile appeared on Ai's face, and the elf girl replied, "Because the elf King summoned me to his glen earlier this evening."

A peculiar look flashed before Shrub's eyes before disappearing quickly. "Did he now?" Shrub asked, thinking hard. Ai would have liked her mother to show more enthusiasm, but the best she could say about her mother's reaction was mild interest.

"And why did he do that, dear?" she asked absently.

"Oh, nothing too important," she said mysteriously. She pecked a kiss on her mother's cheek and swiftly left the tent before her mother could call her back.


End file.
